Gavli

An illustration of a Gwalla by Frans Balthazar Solvyns, circa 1800

Gavli is a pastoral community found in the states of Goa and Maharashtra in India. The word Gavli means a milkmen or herdsmen in the Konkani and Marathi language, and refers to a number of communities that practice, or at one time practiced pastoralism in western India.

Ethnonym

Alternate spellings include Gowli, Gowlu, Gyawali, Gawli, Gavali, Gawali, Gauli, Gavadi, Gouli, Goalla, Gwala, Gwalla, and Gopa.^[1]

In Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, the Gavli community have four sub-divisions, the Yadav or Ahir Gavli, Yadavanshi Gavli, Nandvanshi Gavli and Lingayat Gavli. Each of these groups is of a distinct origin, and do not intermarry, and have their own particular customs and traditions.^[2]

The Yadav Ahir Gavli

The Ahir are one of the four sub-divisions of the Gavli found in Maharashtra, and are found throughout the state. They are also known as Ahire, Golkar, Goalar, and Rawat. According to their tradition following a communal riot between Hindus and Muslims, they left their ancestral village of Kharpa in Kannauj District of Uttar Pradesh. The community continue speak Hindi among themselves, but most also speak Marathi. They have been granted other backward caste status in Maharashtra. Historically, the community was involved in selling of milk.^[3]

Yadav Gavli Association

The first Yadav Gavli Association was founded in 1903, and in the early 1920s it petitioned the Southborough Committee to recognise the caste as Maratha. In support of their claim, the Yadav Gavli cited their legendary descent from Krishna, a history of Yadav kings in North India, Gujarat, and the Deccan, their Kshatriya practices, and their frequent service in the British military, to include the Maratha regiments.^[4]

In Gujarat

In Gujarat, the Gavli are an immigrant community, having immigrated in the 18th Century from Maharashtra. They are found mainly in Rajkot and Baroda districts. Most of the community now speak Gujarati, although a significant number still understand Marathi. Marital ties are still maintained with Gavli communities in Maharashtra. The Gavli community is further divided into a number of exogamous clans such as the Hiranwar, Hajari, Bania, Fulsunge and Phenwar. Each of these clans maintains their own tribal deities, such the Bania Gavli, who worship Ajottmata. Historically, the Gavli were cattle herders, although they maintained a distance from Gujarati pastoral communities such as the Ahir and Charan. Many have given up their traditional occupation, and begun to settle down in towns and cities.^[5]

In Goa

Goan Gavlis are generally vegetarians and speak a creole between Konkani and Marathi. Their localities are called as Gavḷhīvāḍo, such places are found in many places in Goa.^[2][6]

See also

• Dhangar, another herdsman caste

Notes

1. The Calcutta review. s.n. 1895. pp. 374–. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
2. People of India Maharshtra Volume XXX Part Three edited by B.V Bhanu, B.R Bhatnagar, D.K Bose, V.S Kulkarni and J Sreenath pages 2067-2072
3. People of India Maharshtra Volume XXX Part Three edited by B.V Bhanu, B.R Bhatnagar, D.K Bose, V.S Kulkarni and J Sreenath pages 58- 64
4. Christophe Jaffrelot (2003). India's silent revolution: the rise of the lower castes in North India. Columbia University Press. pp. 163–. ISBN 978-0-231-12786-8. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
5. People of India Gujarat Volume XXII Part One edited by R.B Lal, S.V Padmanabham & A Mohideen page 393 to 396 Popular Prakashan
6. Singh, Kumar Suresh (1993). People of India: Goa. Anthropological Survey of India,. ISBN 81-7154-760-5. ISBN 9788171547609.